SPCA helps protect over 35,000 animals in New Zealand who are sick, injured, abused or simply abandoned every year. In 2019, as SPCA started to embed the new overarching ‘One SPCA’ strategy, they engaged Mantle to help develop purposeful leadership and leaders across the different divisions and in their Centres around the country. The charity also had the key priority of supporting these leaders to become the best versions of themselves.

With the implementation of the ‘One SPCA’ strategy, Mantle are proud to have worked with SPCA to support their leadership development across New Zealand since 2019. 

Following the new strategy, there arose a crucial demand for developing purposeful leadership across various divisions and centres nationwide. SPCA wanted to equip its leaders, not only with the skills required for daily operations but also with the capabilities to embody the best versions of themselves in leadership roles.

SPCA had specific goals; they wanted leaders for their organisation who were more confident and capable, able to collaborate effectively, have a positive mindset, take initiative, feel energised, happy and supported to deliver value and help to retain great people in their teams.

Mantle developed a custom-designed, practical leadership programme targeted at a broad audience within the SPCA, including Area Managers, Centre Managers, Op Shop Managers, Functional Managers, and Team Leaders. The programme’s curriculum was strategically aligned with SPCA’s mission to advance animal welfare and prevent cruelty. Initiating as a blend of in-person and digital engagements, the programme transitioned smoothly into a fully virtual format amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, ensuring uninterrupted leadership development and effective adaptation to the evolving operational challenges.

Working with Mantle, SPCA have noticed significantly boosted leadership effectiveness, as evidenced by substantial improvements in core leadership competencies among participants:

• Confidence and capability as a leader.
• Effective collaboration 
• Conflict management skills 
• Communication effectiveness 
• Change management capabilities 

As an organisation, SPCA have been able to develop their people into leaders and provide them with skills to be able to support their teams on a day-to-day basis. They’ve also been able to promote a number of staff within the team, into a people leader role. Staff have since reported that following working with Mantle they felt more confident moving into their new leadership roles. 

SPCA also reported improved consistency across the country in terms of skills and knowledge, as well as leaders feeling more connected and supported.

The team at Mantle are exceptionally proud to have worked with SPCA, helping develop their leaders across the country to achieve great results year on year.